


The Arc of Conflict, Fragment s13,1: What [Must] We [Must Not] Fear

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [91]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Conflict, Diplomacy, Espionage, F/M, Gods, Internal Conflict, Miscommunication, Mistakes, Misunderstandings, Oasis (Overwatch), Post-Talon, Singapore, Talking, War, talking past each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 20:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20020819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Alliances, it has been said, are at their weakest on the brink of defeat, and on the brink of victory. After defeating the China Sea omnium, the gods of Oasis offered their help to Russia, to defeat their own Siberian threat, and Russia accepted that offer -  but made additional secret plans of their own.Hana, Brigitte, and Lúcio aren’t the only ones who can arrange quiet meetings across the lines between Overwatch and Oasis.As Hanzo Shimada and Mei-Ling Zhou look for reassurance, they have the advantage of anonymity - but will they be able to reach each other?Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflictis a continuance ofThe Arc of Ascension,The Arc of Creation, andThe Armourer and the Living Weapon. To follow the story as it appears,please subscribe to the series.





	The Arc of Conflict, Fragment s13,1: What [Must] We [Must Not] Fear

**Author's Note:**

> dirtyclaws has launched [a public fan-run _Of Gods and Monsters_ discord server](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT) and invites everyone to come join it. ^_^

_[Singapore]_

As he moved through the busy marketplace, Hanzo couldn’t help but think of the contrast from the last time a member of Overwatch had arranged for a clandestine meeting with Oasis.

Where Brigitte and Lucio had tried to get as much privacy as possible, he found the constantly moving crowds of the Chinatown Complex market to be a much more effective cover. 

Dressed in durable workman’s clothes and with his hair up in a bun, he could easily be one of the thousands of fishermen and sailors who made their living off the island’s shores, the carefully padded bag across his back just as likely to be tools or living essentials as a weapon.

And while her writing was quite famous, Mei-Ling Zhou had never been the face of a promotional campaign or a household name in the way Hana Song was, which meant that the woman bouncing up from a table in the crowded food court simply looked like she was greeting a friend. 

_Well,_ Hanzo admitted to himself with a smile as Mei nearly bowled him over with her embrace, _perhaps more than simply a friend._

“I’ve missed you _so_ much!”

“And I you,” he assured her, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss. 

She felt the same, in so many ways. Even though her eyes had changed, they were still filled with the same compassion and energy that had drawn him in before. Her laugh just as bright. Her smile achingly familiar.

But the way she moved, now, was just so slightly, so subtly different. Her fingers hesitated on his cheek perhaps a moment too long, and he could feel the effortlessly restrained strength in her hand when she squeezed his eagerly. 

“I hope you’re hungry.” Mei grinned at him, and despite the very logical concerns, Hanzo found himself relaxing with it. “This is one of the best food courts in the city!”

“I was here once before, while I travelled. But... it has been some time.” He offered her a smile of his own, gesturing towards the line of stalls and stands. “What would you recommend?” 

The answer to that question, Hanzo quickly learned, was ‘everything.' But he happily let Mei pick out several of her favourite dishes, before suggesting one or two things which had caught his eye. 

They settled down at a table, sharing bites of chili crab and chicken rice, talking about innocuous things until their conversation had blended almost entirely into the low level buzz of pleasantries and happy exclamations from the diners that surrounded them. 

Only once they’d finished their meal did Hanzo finally decide to move to more sensitive topics.

“Have you been back to the Ecopoint?” 

Mei shook her head with a sigh. “Not really. A little. for experiment maintenance, and data we can't get by remote." She frowned. "We're still mostly operating out of Oasis. It’s _so_ frustrating. I hoped we would have gotten the all clear as soon as the omnium was shut down, and instead…” 

“Mm. It has been... unfortunate.” 

She gave a frustrated little huff. “I’m not even sure the Ministry of Science is going to give us permission to reactivate our operations! Especially not while Volskaya keeps pushing for more hostilities.”

_That was interesting._

“Volskaya? Not Russia?”

Mei nodded. “She’s so... _unreasonable._ No... that’s not the right word. Uncompromising?" She pursed her lips, grimacing a little. "Most of the Russian scientists we worked with didn’t care about the AI - they just wanted to know their homes would be safe. They’re tired of war. Tired of fighting when they could be rebuilding, instead. She made a mistake, and now she won’t back down, no matter what it costs…”

Hanzo gave a soft grunt. “Sometimes, you do not realize you have made a mistake until it is far too late. You think this has become a personal matter for her, then. A vendetta?”

“I think it always was. If it wasn’t, the Russian army never would have planned to betray the people helping to save their country!” The look in Mei’s eyes became harder, and Hanzo had to control his reaction carefully. “If I’m honest... part of me wishes Satya had just killed her. We could have been back to work right away - and so many people would have been saved!”

“That sounds much like what we have come to expect from Lena, or O’Deorain.”

“I know,” Mei admitted glumly. “It’s terrible, but it’s still true.”

Hanzo considered how to approach that. “As we understand it, you threatened a head of state with assassination.”

“No. That's what Satya _wanted_ to do - well, not threaten. Just actually do it. Angela, too. But we talked about it. We talked them out of it."

"We?" Hanzo’s eyebrow rose, but to her credit, Mei did not look away.

"They... they made the decisions. But they asked what I thought - they wanted my opinion! And I said no, that was bad, and they delivered terms of surrender, instead. There is a difference.”

Mei sighed.

"She seems to think... Volskaya seems to think that we're all as big a danger as the omniums were. But we're nothing like that! Not even Moira, if she ever was."

She frowned thoughtfully as Hanzo’s brow furrowed, gesturing with one hand as she tried to explain herself.

"I didn't know her then. But I think maybe Gabriel had her wrong. I was _there_ when he said how big a threat she was and... I just don't see it. Not any more. Maybe once, but... no. Not even then."

"Even after you've seen what she and her... allies... can do?" 

"From what I can see, we're... they're... mostly doing... good." She looked puzzledly at Hanzo. "Why does that frighten you?"

Hanzo stiffened, reflexively, and forced himself to relax. “As I have said, many times - I have some experience in making grave mistakes. Mistakes made for what I believed were the right reasons.” His eyes grew a bit haunted, and this time he was the one who looked away.

“Those mistakes came at a terrible cost, and I was just one man. You - all of you - now carry far greater power, and mistakes will come with far greater consequences.”

 _It's like Hana said,_ she thought, as she took his hand, petting it, comforting him. _They are a little afraid of us. All the time. Even Hanzo._

"Just look at what is happening," he said, covering her hand in his, in turn. "Even reduced, as you say, Oasis's response has all but started another war."

"They... we... can be... a bit much, sometimes, I think," she conceded. "The people we work with, the people who _know_ us, day to day - they learn how we really feel, what we really mean." She chuckled. "I think they even pick up some of it, actually. But for everyone else..." She nodded, looking thoughtful. "It's something we need to learn to understand, too."

 _Somehow_ , she thought as at least a bit of relief spread across his face, _I must show him that he doesn't **have** to be afraid. After all..._

She smiled, reflexively, but with genuine feeling.

_...we're only doing what's **needed**._

**Author's Note:**

> This is the twentieth instalment of _Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflict_. To follow the story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual works.


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